Girl, Pizza Place

Girl, Pizza Place

I remember this day because the owner was somewhat upset that I was taking pictures of the pizza place. And nothing I could do to assuage him. Oh well. Maybe I should bring him this print.

The Male Camera

I skipped the Halloween Parade to continue working on making the site more profitable (business before pleasure) but I managed to write a new bit called, The Male Camera.

The Male Camera

As I contemplated the awful chore of writing mini-reviews for the photography-related vendors I use, I thought first about B&H Photo (the Superstore).

My relationship with them goes back to when they were on 17th street? There was a point when they had two stores: north side of the street was for new equipment and south side for used equipment.

I imagine myself standing in line in that former small store - a line that snaked around and was always getting tangled up in itself - and I can see the camera salesmen behind the counter. I'm peering around at them - trying to remember faces.

Many wear green frocks - the color of B&H's logo. And peering into the faces of these men, it dawns on me that they are men. What I mean is - that all the sales people are men.

Young, middle-aged, old - but male. There's a a hip guy by showing the latest Canon lens. Oh - there's one guy who is still wearing his "shooting vest." Does he think he's on safari?

There's the guy who likes to tell you that every camera you like is flawed. He barely seems able to get himself to sell it to you. According to his reckoning, every photography company that made every piece of equipment would be out of business soon if they didn't get things right next time. He had given them a piece of his mind, but did they listen? No.

I wander further back - looking for saleswomen in that all-male world. Back in to places like Wiloughbys, and 47th Street Photo. Back to Olden Camera which had a lots of floors and a tiny elevator and a realm of dark bins with secret camera parts in it that only the cognoscenti knew about. Back to Camera Barn on Broadway where I bought my first camera thirty something years ago. But there were no saleswomen to conjure up. Not a one.

Is this the way the world is? I only know New York. Are there pro-photography stores with saleswomen? That I don't know.

Part II

Don't get me wrong. It's not photography as a craft that is imbued with maleness - it's the camera itself, and the myriad of attachments that go with it.

Look - do you see that sales guy standing behind the counter? It's true - he once enjoyed shooting very much. Had some talent too. But what gave him a real thrill was owning the best there was and more than that - being able to talk with another guy who could appreciate the beauty of the beast.

He's no different from the guy that knows cars and sells BMWs. He enjoys being around them. He enjoys being the expert. And he can test drive the latest models when they arrive.

When you guys were back in the stone age, don't you remember that fellow - well we didn't have names back then but he sure had a methodology for chipping flint.

Dissolve to:

Salesman: Sir, I see you're interested in the model #42 Havagotcha.

Man: Yes, yes indeed. I'm not sure I can afford it though.

Salesman: That's fine. Why don't you just hold it for a minute. (Hands it to the man). See how it balances in your hand. Why don't you point it at something and press the trigger - mean shutter. This baby can fire 8 shots per second in normal mode, but press that switch - that's right. Now you're in rapid fire burst mode. 24 shots per burst! Yes it is amazing. I can see you appreciate that. What sort of shooting do you do - if I may ask?

Man: Well - you know - mostly shots of the wife and kids but every once in a while I like to try and shoot nature. Deer, fish - that sort of thing. I like flowers a lot also.

Salesman: Well I'll tell you, sir - you won't miss much with this beast. I see you notice the finish. Yes, that's triple-coated, 100% weather-sealed titanium. Did you know it has over 400 gaskets in the weather-proofing system? Yes, 400.

The camera you have in your hand is the same model that went to Everest. I guess that says something about durability. And can you believe it - two of these beasts have been to Mars and back. That's right - NASA uses them.

Man: Wow. I didn't know that - I mean about going to Mars.

Salesman: But I understand - not everyone can afford a piece of equipment like that. But press that button - yes that one. See that green light. Now You're in ultra-tracking mode. This baby can follow-focus an object approaching you at 60 miles per hour.

Man: That is amazing.

Salesman: Of course - you heard about that poor fellow that was run over last week - guess he forgot to duck.

Man: Wrap it up. I'll take it.

Tracking and hunting. The modern camera can do both. What's worse than not being able to track properly. What could be more embarrassing than for a man to admit he's lost.

You wonder why you can't get him to ask directions when he's lost on the way to the latest French restaurant in the burbs.

Asking directions would mean that he's a bad tracker. Bad hunter. Not able to provide French food for the wife and kids.

No - he doesn't need directions - he just needs to get out of the car and put his ear to the highway pavement and listen; or stick his nose out the window and pick up the scent of French food. That's how he'll know where he is.

I am quite sure that when Stanley finally met up with Livingston that he actually told the bearers - you see - knew where he was all along. We were never lost.

Clever name for the Guidance System for cars: NeverLost.

If camera-male is the weapon for tracking and bringing down game, that is: killing something, then the photographer finds himself straddling the creation-destruction cycle: trying to create with an instrument he really wants to destroy with. That can be a problem.

That is an awful dichotomy. How easy to just let it all go and fall back into who has the best spear way.

And so - that's where my first review of photography vendors took me - and why women (assuming they are artists) should, be more creative photographers than men. But that is for the next installment.